He's not racist, he's blind. If he believes that even a significant fraction of the people who aren't voting for him aren't voting for him because he's black, then he's going to lose his lead and the race because he's blind. Your own boy Keith Olbermann even said that on Tuesday.

:thumb: Exactly - and that blind spot may cost him the election.

 

Race was not an issue in this campaign until he made it an issue (with the Clintons' help). Obama had ample opportunity to disavow the rantings of Jeremiah Wright during the past 20 years and his failure to do so left him open to the Clintons making race an issue. Now, it seems that he wants to keep the race issue alive, which makes no sense to me. His focus on race calls his judgment into question.

For the record, here's part of the straight transcript of the speech:

 

Because everybody just ascribes it to 'white working-class don't wanna work -- don't wanna vote for the black guy.' That's...there were intimations of that in an article in the Sunday New York Times today - kind of implies that it's sort of a race thing.

 

Here's how it is: in a lot of these communities in big industrial states like Ohio and Pennsylvania, people have been beaten down so long. They feel so betrayed by government that when they hear a pitch that is premised on not being cynical about government, then a part of them just doesn't buy it. And when it's delivered by -- it's true that when it's delivered by a 46-year-old black man named Barack Obama, then that adds another layer of skepticism.

 

What I read is Obama NOT being blind to the fact that his race is a demographic negative with white, rural voters. A stunning revelation, I know. He's also saying that it's not, in his opinion, quite so simple that people just don't want to vote for him because he's black, that there's also a backlash culture among poor whites against government and liberal positions, and I can certainly agree with that.

 

That's, by the way, nothing new for Obama to say. He stated quite clearly in his elegant speech on race that both whites and blacks still had legitimate grievances following the civil rights movement, some of those created by that movement. Haven't white men been saying for years that affirmative action was reverse discrimination and that it was unfair? Well, in his speech on race, Obama acknowledged it, said he understood.

Anywho, you kids have fun... I'm going to go register Democrats for Barak Obama at Thunder.

I would more call in to question the judgement of anyone that doesn't think race is an issue. The fact that Obama wants to discuss it gives him a check mark in my book.

For most people who oppose Obama's candidacy, the color of his skin is a non-factor and that is where Obama's blind spot lies. He cannot escape the fact that he has the most liberal voting record in the US Senate and that most of the people who oppose him are not liberals.

 

No matter how well Obama articulates his liberal vision for America, he is not going to convert the moderates and conservatives in rural and small town America into liberals over the next seven months. Furthermore, because of his liberal voting record, his association with people like Rev. Wright and Bill Ayers, and his preoccupation with race issues, any attempt to "move to the middle" that he makes will be seen as a sham.

 

So far Obama has been lucky. Hillary Clinton has run one of the worst campaigns in modern history. He will need for McCain to cooperate by running an equally stupid campaign to have any chance at all this fall.

:lol: Still no comment on Obama's remarks I see. Maybe you should start a new thread with my characterization of San Francisco liberals as the topic. If you do, please don't forget to include a poll.

 

As regards the poll, just because people may agree with you wouldn't make you right.

 

And, for the record, I did analyze Obama's remarks. Not looking at them through your eyes, I don't see them the same way you do. I'm not here to point fingers and say, "look at what Obama said!" (or Clinton or McCain for that matter - add in Pres. Bush and former Pres. Clinton if you want) and possibly take things out of context. I am here to try to push away all of the crap and innuendo and find the person I really want to lead our country the next four years.

I would more call in to question the judgement of anyone that doesn't think race is an issue. The fact that Obama wants to discuss it gives him a check mark in my book.

Race is an issue and I hope that Obama continues to keep it on the front burner. The more often he paints small town whites as racists, the greater his margin of loss will be.

As regards the poll, just because people may agree with you wouldn't make you right.

 

And, for the record, I did analyze Obama's remarks. Not looking at them through your eyes, I don't see them the same way you do. I'm not here to point fingers and say, "look at what Obama said!" (or Clinton or McCain for that matter - add in Pres. Bush and former Pres. Clinton if you want) and possibly take things out of context. I am here to try to push away all of the crap and innuendo and find the person I really want to lead our country the next four years.

Nobody took anything out of context. There is no other way to read Obama's word except as a slap at people in rural America and his remarks were made to a crowd that shows their disdain for traditional American values on a daily basis.

 

Obama used poor judgment because he told a wealthy group of political donors what they already believed, without considering how those same words would be received by mainstream Americans.

 

Either words matter, and Obama has said that they do matter, or they do not matter. I am more troubled by Obama's past actions and votes than his words, but words spoken to like minded liberals do offer some insight to Obama's beliefs and character. People hearing Obama's small town/rural America stump speech will now have even more reason to question the sincerity of his words.

Anywho, you kids have fun... I'm going to go register Democrats for Barak Obama at Thunder.

 

Are you registering "Democrats for Barack Obama" or are you registering "Democrats" on behalf of Barack Obama's campaign?

Nobody took anything out of context. There is no other way to read Obama's word except as a slap at people in rural America and his remarks were made to a crowd that shows their disdain for traditional American values on a daily basis.

 

Obama used poor judgment because he told a wealthy group of political donors what they already believed, without considering how those same words would be received by mainstream Americans.

 

Either words matter, and Obama has said that they do matter, or they do not matter. I am more troubled by Obama's past actions and votes than his words, but words spoken to like minded liberals do offer some insight to Obama's beliefs and character. People hearing Obama's small town/rural America stump speech will now have even more reason to question the sincerity of his words.

 

 

:lol:Obviously, there is another way to take it...and that is how I took it! Not everyone sees things through your eyes.

 

Could it possibly be that Obama is trying to explain one group's perspective to another?

:lol:Obviously, there is another way to take it...and that is how I took it!

Of course you are right. I am speaking from the perspective of a small town resident of a Midwest state. Obviously, Obama supporters will see things differently, which is my point. Obama is becoming the polarizing candidate that so many Democrats feared Hillary Clinton would become.

 

Not everyone sees things through your eyes.

These eyes only deliver images to only one and I wouldn't have it any other way. However, this is a political campaign and the fact that many small town residents such as me will take Obama's characterization of them as I do and that spells trouble for his campaign.

Could it possibly be that Obama is trying to explain one group's perspective to another?

Again, this is my point. Obama's description of small town folks may have had a ring of truth to liberal San Francisco supporters but they will be taken as an insult to many people whose votes might otherwise have been within his grasp. Obama has much more in common with Nancy Pelosi's friends and neighbors than he does with the moderate voters in the purple states, whose support he so desperately needs.

Of course you are right. I am speaking from the perspective of a small town resident of a Midwest state. Obviously, Obama supporters will see things differently, which is my point. Obama is becoming the polarizing candidate that so many Democrats feared Hillary Clinton would become.

 

These eyes only deliver images to only one and I wouldn't have it any other way. However, this is a political campaign and the fact that many small town residents such as me will take Obama's characterization of them as I do and that spells trouble for his campaign.

Again, this is my point. Obama's description of small town folks may have had a ring of truth to liberal San Francisco supporters but they will be taken as an insult to many people whose votes might otherwise have been within his grasp. Obama has much more in common with Nancy Pelosi's friends and neighbors than he does with the moderate voters in the purple states, whose support he so desperately needs.

 

I am a resident in a small midwest town, too. At the moment, I support Obama, Clinton and McCain.

 

As to the bolded part, I agree. Let's mark that down. :thumb:

I am a resident in a small midwest town, too. At the moment, I support Obama, Clinton and McCain.

 

As to the bolded part, I agree. Let's mark that down. :thumb:

:thumb: Marked.

 

For the record, I oppose all three major candidates, and although I may hold my nose and cast a vote for McCain I have not ruled out voting for none of the above.

Obama does damage control

 

Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign veered into damage control mode today following the reporting of the candidate's comments at a San Francisco fundraiser.

 

Trying to explain rural white culture to the California billionaires, the Democratic candidate said, "You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them... it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

 

Although Obama merely stated the obvious truth, many voters in Pennsylvania were apparently angered by the characterization. To stem the backlash before the state's primary, the candidate hastily arranged a meeting with typical white people in rural Pennsylvania.

Obama does damage control

 

Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign veered into damage control mode today following the reporting of the candidate's comments at a San Francisco fundraiser.

 

Trying to explain rural white culture to the California billionaires, the Democratic candidate said, "You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them... it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

 

Although Obama merely stated the obvious truth, many voters in Pennsylvania were apparently angered by the characterization. To stem the backlash before the state's primary, the candidate hastily arranged a meeting with typical white people in rural Pennsylvania.

 

:laugh: That's the funniest thing I have heard in weeks! An instant classic, Aces! :thumb: